the egoist-第62部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


time；　Willoughby。〃

〃My　dear；　we　shall　have　to　express　our　thanks　to　her。〃

〃I　cannot。〃

His　arm　contracted　sharply。　He　was　obliged　to　be　silent。

Dr　Middleton；　Laetitia；　and　the　ladies　Eleanor　and　Isabel　joining
them　in　the　hall；　found　two　figures　linked　together　in　a　shadowy
indication　of　halves　that　have　fallen　apart　and　hang　on　the　last
thread　of　junction。　Willoughby　retained　her　hand　on　his　arm；　he
held　to　it　as　the　symbol　of　their　alliance；　and　oppressed　the
girl's　nerves　by　contact；　with　a　frame　labouring　for　breath。　De
Craye　looked　on　them　from　overhead。　The　carriages　were　at　the
door；　and　Willoughby　said；　〃Where's　Horace？　I　suppose　he's　taking
a　final　shot　at　his　Book　of　Anecdotes　and　neat　collection　of
Irishisms。〃

〃No；〃　replied　the　colonel；　descending。　〃That's　a　spring　works　of
itself　and　has　discovered　the　secret　of　continuous　motion；　more's
the　pity！unless　you'll　be　pleased　to　make　it　of　use　to
Science。〃

He　gave　a　laugh　of　good…humour。

〃Your　laughter；　Horace；　is　a　capital　comment　on　your　wit。〃

Willoughby　said　it　with　the　air　of　one　who　has　flicked　a　whip。

〃'Tis　a　genial　advertisement　of　a　vacancy；〃　said　De　Craye。

Precisely：　three　parts　auctioneer　to　one　for　the　property。〃

〃Oh；　if　you　have　a　musical　quack；　score　it　a　point　in　his　favour；
Willoughby；　though　you　don't　swallow　his　drug。〃

〃If　he　means　to　be　musical；　let　him　keep　time。〃

〃Am　I　late？〃　said　De　Craye　to　the　ladies；　proving　himself　an　adept
in　the　art　of　being　gracefully　vanquished；　and　so　winning　tender
hearts。

Willoughby　had　refreshed　himself。　At　the　back　of　his　mind　there　was
a　suspicion　that　his　adversary　would　not　have　yielded　so　flatly
without　an　assurance　of　practically　triumphing；　secretly　getting
the　better　of　him；　and　it　filled　him　with　venom　for　a　further　bout
at　the　next　opportunity：　but　as　he　had　been　sarcastic　and　mordant；
he　had　shown　Clara　what　he　could　do　in　a　way　of　speaking　different
from　the　lamentable　cooing　stuff；　gasps　and　feeble　protestations
to　which；　he　knew　not　how；　she　reduced　him。　Sharing　the　opinion　of
his　race；　that　blunt　personalities；　or　the　pugilistic　form；
administered　directly　on　the　salient　features；　are　exhibitions　of
mastery　in　such　encounters；　he　felt　strong　and　solid；　eager　for
the　successes　of　the　evening。　De　Craye　was　in　the　first　carriage
as　escort　to　the　ladies　Eleanor　and　Isabel。　Willoughby；　with
Clara；　Laetitia；　and　Dr。　Middleton；　followed；　all　silent；　for　the
Rev。　Doctor　was　ostensibly　pondering；　and　Willoughby　was　damped　a
little　when　he　unlocked　his　mouth　to　say：

〃And　yet　I　have　not　observed　that　Colonel　de　Craye　is　anything　of
a　Celtiberian　Egnatius　meriting　fustigation　for　an　untimely
display　of　well…whitened　teeth；　sir：　'quicquid　est；　ubicunque　est；
quodcunque　agit；　renidet：'：ha？　a　morbus　neither　charming　nor
urbane　to　the　general　eye；　however　consolatory　to　the　actor。　But
this　gentleman　does　not　offend　so；　or　I　am　so　strangely
prepossessed　in　his　favour　as　to　be　an　incompetent　witness。〃

Dr　Middleton's　persistent　ha？　eh？　upon　an　honest　frown　of　inquiry
plucked　an　answer　out　of　Willoughby　that　was　meant　to　be
humourously　scornful；　and　soon　became　apologetic　under　the　Doctor's
interrogatively　grasping　gaze。

〃These　Irishmen；〃　Willoughby　said；　〃will　play　the　professional
jester　as　if　it　were　an　office　they　were　born　to。　We　must　play
critic　now　and　then；　otherwise　we　should　have　them　deluging　us
with　their　Joe　Millerisms。〃

〃With　their　O'Millerisms　you　would　say；　perhaps？〃

Willoughby　did　his　duty　to　the　joke；　but　the　Rev。　Doctor；　though
he　wore　the　paternal　smile　of　a　man　that　has　begotten　hilarity；
was　not　perfectly　propitiated；　and　pursued：　〃Nor　to　my
apprehension　is　'the　man's　laugh　the　comment　on　his　wit'
unchallengeably　new：　instances　of　cousinship　germane　to　the　phrase
will　recur　to　you。　But　it　has　to　be　noted　that　it　was　a　phrase　of
assault；　it　was　ostentatiously　battery；　and　I　would　venture　to
remind　you；　friend；　that　among　the　elect；　considering　that　it　is
as　fatally　facile　to　spring　the　laugh　upon　a　man　as　to　deprive　him
of　his　life；　considering　that　we　have　only　to　condescend　to　the
weapon；　and　that　the　more　popular　necessarily　the　more　murderous
that　weapon　is；among　the　elect；　to　which　it　is　your　distinction
to　aspire　to　belong；　the　rule　holds　to　abstain　from　any　employment
of　the　obvious；　the　percoct；　and　likewise；　for　your　own　sake；　from
the　epitonic；　the　overstrained；　for　if　the　former；　by　readily
assimilating　with　the　understandings　of　your　audience；　are
empowered　to　commit　assassination　on　your　victim；　the　latter　come
under　the　charge　of　unseemliness；　inasmuch　as　they　are　a
description　of　public　suicide。　Assuming；　then；　manslaughter　to　be
your　pastime；　and　hari…kari　not　to　be　your　bent；　the　phrase；　to
escape　criminality；　must　rise　in　you　as　you　would　have　it　fall　on
him；　ex　improviso。　Am　I　right？〃

〃I　am　in　the　habit　of　thinking　it　impossible；　sir；　that　you　can　be
in　error；〃　said　Willoughby。

Dr　Middleton　left　it　the　more　emphatic　by　saying　nothing　further。

Both　his　daughter　and　Miss　Dale；　who　had　disapproved　the　waspish
snap　at　Colonel　De　Craye；　were　in　wonderment　of　the　art　of　speech
which　could　so　soothingly　inform　a　gentleman　that　his　behaviour
had　not　been　gentlemanly。

Willoughby　was　damped　by　what　he　comprehended　of　it　for　a　few
minutes。　In　proportion　as　he　realized　an　evening　with　his　ancient
admirers　he　was　restored；　and　he　began　to　marvel　greatly　at　his
folly　in　not　giving　banquets　and　Balls；　instead　of　making　a
solitude　about　himself　and　his　bride。　For　solitude；　thought　he；　is
good　for　the　man；　the　man　being　a　creature　consumed　by　passion；
woman's　love；　on　the　contrary；　will　only　be　nourished　by　the
reflex　light　she　catches　of　you　in　the　eyes　of　others；　she　having
no　passion　of　her　own；　but　simply　an　instinct　driving　her　to
attach　herself　to　whatsoever　is　most　largely　admired；　most
shining。　So　thinking；　he　determined　to　change　his　course　of
conduct；　and　he　was　happier。　In　the　first　gush　of　our　wisdom　drawn
directly　from　experience　there　is　a　mental　intoxication　that
cancels　the　old　world　and　establishes　a　new　one；　not　allowing　us
to　ask　whether　it　is　too　late。


CHAPTER　XXX

Treating　of　the　Dinner…Party　at　Mrs。　Mountstuart　Jenkinson's

Vernon　and　young　Crossjay　had　tolerably　steady　work　together　for　a
couple　of　hours；　varied　by　the　arrival　of　a　plate　of　meat　on　a
tray　for　the　master；　and　some　interrogations　put　to　him　from　time
to　time　by　the　boy　in　reference　to　Miss　Middleton。　Crossjay　made
the　discovery　that　if　he　abstained　from　alluding　to　Miss
Middleton's　beauty　he　might　water　his　dusty　path　with　her　name
nearly　as　much　as　he　liked。　Mention　of　her　beauty　incurred　a
reprimand。　On　the　first　occasion　his　master　was　wistful。　〃Isn't
she　glorious！〃　Crossjay　fancied　he　had　started　a　sovereign　receipt
for　blessed　deviations。　He　tried　it　again；　but　paedagogue…thunder
broke　over　his　head。

〃Yes；　only　I　can't　understand　what　she　means；　Mr。　Whitford；〃　he
excused　himself　〃First　I　was　not　to　tell；　I　know　I　wasn't；　because
she　said　so；　she　quite　as　good　as　said　so。　Her　last　words　were：
'Mind；　Crossjay；　you　know　nothing　about　me'；　when　I　stuck　to　that
beast　of　a　tramp；　who's　a　'walking　moral；'　and　gets　money　out　of
people　by　snuffling　it。〃

〃Attend　to　your　lesson；　or　you'll　be　one；〃　said　Vernon。

〃Yes；　but；　Mr。　Whitford；　now　I　am　to　tell。　I'm　to　answer　straight
out　to　every　question。〃

〃Miss　Middleton　is　anxious　that　you　should　be　truthful。〃

〃Yes；　but　in　the　morning　she　told　me　not　to　tell。〃

〃She　was　in　a　hurry。　She　has　it　on　her　conscience　that　you　may
have　misunderstood　her；　and　she　wishes　you　never　to　be　guilty　of
an　untruth；　least　of　all　on　her　account。〃

Crossjay　committed　an　unspoken　resolution　to　the　air　in　a　violent
sigh：　〃Ah！〃　and　said：　〃If　I　were　sure！〃

〃Do　as　she　bids　you；　my　boy。〃

〃But　I　don't　know　what　it　is　she　wants。〃

〃Hold　to　her　last　words　to　you。〃

〃So　I　do。　If　she　told　me　to　run　till　I　dropped；　on　I'd　go。〃

〃She　told　you　to　study　your　lessons；　do　that。〃

Crossjay　buckled　to　his　book；　invigorated　by　an　imagination　of　his
liege　lady　on　the　page。

After　a　studious　interval；　until　the　impression　of　his　lady　had
subsided。　he　resumed：　〃She's　so　funny。　She's　just　like　a　girl；　and
then　she's　a　lady；　too。　She's　my　idea　of　a　princess。　And　Colonel
De　Craye！　Wasn't　he　taught　dancing！　When　he　says　something　funny
he　ducks　and　seems　to　be　setting　to　his　partner。　I　should　like　to
be　as　clever　as　her　father。　That　is　a　clever　man。　I　dare　say
Colonel　De　Craye　will　dance　with　her　tonight。　I　wish　I　was　there。〃

〃It's　a　dinner…party；　not　a　dance；〃　Vernon　forced　himself　to　say；
to　dispel　that　ugly　vision。

〃Isn't　it；　sir？　I　thought　they　danced　after　dinner…parties；　Mr。
Whitford；　have　you　ever　seen　her　run？〃

Vernon　pointed　him　to　his　task。

They　were　silent　for　a　lengthened　period。

〃But　does　Miss　Middleton　mean　me　to　speak　out　if　Sir　Willoughby
asks　me？〃　said　Crossjay。

〃Certainly。　You　needn't　make　much　of　it。　All's　plain　and　simple。〃

〃But　I'm　positive；　Mr。　Whitford；　he　wasn't　to　hear　of　her　going　to
the　post…office　with　me　before　breakfast。　And　how　did　Colonel　De
Craye　find　her　and　bring　her　back；　with　that　old　Flitch？　He's　a
man　and　can　go　where　he　pleases；　and　I'd　have　found　her；　too。　give
me　the　chance。　You　know。　I'm　fond　of　Miss　Dale；　but　sheI'm　very
fond　of　herbut　you　can't　think　she's　a　girl　as　well。　And　about
Miss　Dale；　when　she　says　a　thing；　there　it　is；　clear。　But　Miss
Middleton　has　a　lot　of　meanings。　Never　mind；　I　go　by　what's
inside；　and　I'm　pretty　sure　to　please　her。〃

〃Take　your　chin　off　your　hand　and　your　elbow　off　the　book；　and　fix
yourself；〃　said　Vernon；　wrestling　with　the　seduction　of　Crossjay's
idolatry；　for　Miss　Middleton's　appearance　had　been　preternaturally
sweet　on　her　departure；　and　the　next　pleasure　to　seeing　her　was
hearing　of　her　from　the　lips　of　this　passionate　young　poet。

〃Remember　that　you　please　her　by　speaking　truth；〃　Vernon　added；
and　laid　himself　open　to　questions　upon　the　truth；　by　which　he
learnt；　with　a　perplexed　sense　of　envy　and　sympathy；　that　the
boy's　idea　of　truth　strongly　approximated　to　his　conception　of
what　should　be　agreeable